A power generation process is disclosed, the process comprises dissolving a solute (10) into an unsaturated stream (140) to produce a high concentration stream (130) and converting latent mixing energy present in a high concentration input stream (130) into power by passage through a power unit (20) in which the concentration of the high concentration input stream (130) is reduced. The process comprises using a reduced concentration output stream (140) derived from the high concentration input stream (130) following passage through the power unit (20) as the unsaturated stream (140). A first fraction of the high concentration stream (130) is passed to the power unit (20) for use as the high concentration input stream (130) and a second fraction of the high concentration stream (130) is output from the process.

A method for desalination is provided. An electric potential difference is applied across a saline solution, where a salinity of the saline solution is in a range of 2.5 to 7.8 parts per thousand. The saline solution is separated, using electrodialysis, into a concentrated saline solution and a first diluate. The concentrated saline solution is transferred to a reverse osmosis chamber. The concentrated saline solution is pumped through a partially permeable membrane, thereby removing salt ions from the concentrated saline solution, and creating a second diluate and a brine solution. A pressure of the solution is then increased, using a pressure exchanger, by transferring water pressure from the brine solution to the concentrated saline solution. The first diluate and the second diluate are combined, where a first recovery ratio of the first diluate is greater than a second recovery ratio of the second diluate.

An assembly for reverse osmotically desalinating water, including a source containing feed water to be desalinated, a high-pressure tank having a first portion and a second portion and a movable piston wall operationally connected therebetween, a first portion inlet operationally connected to the first portion and a second portion inlet operationally connected to the second portion, a first portion outlet operationally connected to the first portion and a second portion outlet operationally connected to the second portion, a first valve having a first first valve inlet, a second first valve inlet, a first first valve outlet in fluidic communication with the first portion inlet and a second first valve outlet in fluidic communication with the second portion inlet, a high-pressure pump operationally connected to the source and to the first first valve inlet, a second valve having a first second valve inlet in fluidic communication with the first portion outlet and a second second valve inlet in fluidic communication with the second portion outlet and a second valve outlet, at least one reverse osmosis module having at least one reverse osmosis module inlet connected in fluidic communication with the second valve outlet, at least one brine outlet and at least one desalinated water outlet, a circulation pump having a circulation pump inlet port connected in fluidic communication with the brine outlet and a circulation pump outlet connected in fluidic communication with the second first valve inlet, andan electronic controller operationally connected to the first valve, to the second valve, to the high-pressure pump and to the circulation pump.

A method of desalinating water, including the steps of when electricity costs between a first predetermined price and a second predetermined price, fill water is pumped into a reverse osmosis desalination unit to yield desalinated permeate and saltwater having a first salinity, when electricity costs less than the first predetermined price, fill water is pumped into a reverse osmosis desalination unit to yield desalinated permeate and saltwater having a second salinity, and when electricity costs greater than the second predetermined price, pure water is flowed into a reverse osmosis unit to yield pressurized saltwater which is run through a turbine to generate electricity. The first salinity is lower than the second salinity.

The present invention relates to a distributed energy source system utilizing waste heat deeply. The distributed energy source system utilizing waste heat deeply comprises a primary waste heat recycling module, a membrane distillation type seawater desalination module and a membrane type thermoosmosis power generation module. The distributed energy source system utilizing waste heat deeply provided by the present invention can recycle and deeply utilize waste heat and moisture in flue gas by means of the primary waste heat recycling module, the membrane distillation type seawater desalination module and the membrane type thermoosmosis power generation module to realize functions of seawater desalination and low-temperature power generation, has high energy utilization ratio and improves the waste heat utilization efficiency.

Systems and processes for purifying and concentrating a liquid feed stream are disclosed. In the systems, the concentrated liquid output from the high pressure side of a reverse osmosis stage is used as the draw solution in the low pressure side of the reverse osmosis stage in a configuration called osmotically assisted reverse osmosis. This reduces the osmotic pressure differential across the membrane, permitting high solute concentrations to be obtained, hastening the purification of the liquid. Reduced system pressures are also obtained by arranging multiple osmotically assisted reverse osmosis stages in a cross-current arrangement. Overall system energy consumption is reduced compared to conventional thermal processes for high concentration streams.

A process for solution mining of minerals is disclosed. The process comprises injecting an unsaturated stream (150) at an injection pressure into a mineral formation (130) to dissolve the mineral and extracting a high concentration stream (110) containing said dissolved mineral. The process comprising converting latent osmotic energy present in said high concentration stream into an increase in the total pressure of said stream by passage through an osmotic power unit (200) and generating electricity and reducing to the injection pressure the total pressure of a reduced concentration output stream (150) by passage through a power generating device (250) and using the reduced concentration output stream (150) at the injection pressure as the unsaturated stream (150). A process for storing a fuel in an underground formation is also disclosed.

A separation system includes first and second separation parts each having a separation membrane and provided with a fluid supply port, a permeate fluid exhaust port, and a non-permeate fluid exhaust port, an intermediate connecting part for connecting the permeate fluid exhaust port of the first separation part and the fluid supply port of the second separation part, a supply pipe connected to the fluid supply port of the first separation part, in which a mixed fluid flows at a pressure higher than an atmospheric pressure, and a pressure reducing part connected to the permeate fluid exhaust port of the second separation part, for reducing a pressure inside the permeate fluid exhaust port to a pressure lower than the atmospheric pressure. A pressure inside the intermediate connecting part is lower than a pressure inside the supply pipe and not lower than the atmospheric pressure.

The present invention relates to shallow water subsea desalination system with a subsea desalination template (20) located on a seabed. A retrievable subsea RO-module (4) is located in a subsea RO-module zone (23) of the subsea desalination template (20) and is connected to a RO-module connection. A seawater booster pump assembly (1) includes a seawater inlet (7) and an outlet in fluid connection with a seawater inlet side of the RO-cartridge assembly. A retrievable subsea booster module (2) includes the seawater booster pump assembly (1). A pressure regulator (11) is in fluid connection with a retentate side of the least one retrievable subsea RO-module (4).

A turbine and method of operating the same a turbine includes a housing having a volute, an inlet and an outlet an impeller rotatable coupled to the housing, a first shroud disposed within the housing comprising a plurality of nozzle vanes and a second shroud disposed within the housing adjacent to the first shroud so that a nozzle area is formed between the first shroud and the second shroud, said nozzle area having a variable width. The second shroud is movable relative to the first shroud to vary the width so that fluid flow from the inlet to the outlet is variable.